Looking Backward

What The Wave Said

20 Years Ago...

Congregation Derech Emunoh is closing its landmark synagogue at Beach 67 Street and Rockaway Beach Boulevard, Arverne. This closing is certain unless the community immediately helps the congregation muster a minyan (a quorum of 10 males) for services, ideally twice a day every day, as a minimum on the Sabbath.

Police Officer Christopher Borbee chased and caught a resident of the Edgemere Houses in Arverne as the man fled from a telephone company truck with a radio on Monday, March 23, about noon. Officer Borbee was on foot patrol in Rockaway Beach Boulevard near Beach 91 Street (100th Precinct) when he saw the man (later identified as Edwin Murdaugh, 26 of 54-49 Almeda Avenue) leave the truck with the radio with a person who appeared to be the driver of the truck in pursuit.

Pauline Dello of the production staff of The Wave gave birth to a 7-pound 13- ounce boy last Saturday morning, April 21. With approval from her husband, Anthony, she named the baby Anthony.

Port Authority Police Officer William J. Moran of Rockaway Park, who was shot November 24 while helping to thwart a holdup in a diner in Elmhurst Queens, was presented last week with his department's highest award for bravery, the Medal of Honor. (Only 24 such medals have been given out since the award was established in 1944.) Port Authority Police Officer Wilfred Barriere of Flushing, Queens, was honored similarly. Port Authority Police Officer William Luongo of Long Beach was given the Police Commendation medal.

At last, riders boarding trains in the Rockaway Boulevard station in Ozone Park know where they are going. At the request of Citizens Coalition an announciator has been installed in the waiting area of the station indicating whether the next out bound train will go to Rockaway or Lefferts.

Ida Glazer will be presented with a special scroll of honor this Sunday, March 29, during a 9:30 a.m. "Belle Harbor community Israel bonds testimonial breakfast" at Congregation Ohab Zedek's Belle Harbor Jewish center at 134-01 Rockaway Beach Boulevard.

With BM3 Gus Kynoch in command, Coast Guardmen from Station Rockaway picked up three young women early Monday morning, March 23, after the women spent the night aboard a 17-foot boat foundering in 5-foot waves in the Atlantic Ocean about three miles from Rockaway shore, and after two other crews using the same Coast Guard boat had returned empty handed and exhausted.

30 Years Ago...

Leaders of the Chamber of Commerce of the Rockaways and the Far Rockaway Board of Trade are at odds over a proposal that calls for insisting the Social Security office at 20-11 Mott Avenue be moved to a building that would be constructed, using as a base the old Columbia Theatre building.

"It sounds to me like a rank double-cross by Carey and President Carter," fumed Congressman John Wydler of Garden City, in the district immediately east of Rockaway, when he heard on Tuesday, March 22, that Governor Carey had said there might be a chance of the Concorde super-sonic transport to land at Kennedy International Airport.

Our newly elected State Senator is finally getting around. Friday, Senator Farber was at Kennedy Airport leading an anti-SST demonstration. On Sunday morning he met with S. Seymour Sperber, President of the Dayton Towers Corporation. They discussed the many problems facing the Rockaways.

40 Years Ago...

City Planning commission hearings have been set in regard to rezoning two parcels from residential to commercial on Beach 5 Street in the Simmis Beach Section of Far Rockaway.

Test borings are underway for the proposed Beach Channel High School.

George Stein was elected chairman of the Rockaway Council of Civic Organizations. Mrs. Belle Solomon was named secretary and Mr. Seymour Traiger was elected to the Board of Directors. Mrs. Edith (Mael) Fetscher was named vice-chairman.

Another effort is underway by several local jurists to revive the abandoned Rockaway Beach Courthouse.

50 Years Ago...

Anthony Arrigali of 50 West 16 Road in Broad Channel is the new proprietor of the candy store located at Noel Road and Cross Bay Boulevard and formerly owned by Mr. Miccio, the change taking place about two weeks ago.

Dalsimer's Inc., of Cedarhurst, Far Rockaway and Rockaway Park won first prize and a special trophy from the Horticultural Society of New York, at the Flower Show being held at the New York Coliseum.